Swimming pool scoop and skimmer



Feb. 13, 1968 A. v. PETRIK 3,368,686

SWIMMING POOL SCOOP AND SKIMMER Filed Dec. 12, 1966 @XWKW A 770mg United States Patent This invention relates generally to swimming pool appliances, and is especially concerned with an implement for skimming and scooping debris from the water of a swimming pool.

The instant invention relates specifically to a manual grip or handle carrying a loop provided with suitable reticulated covering or straining means, and wherein the loop carries a spaced baflle located to raise sediment on the pool bottom for capture by the straining means.

As is well known to those versed in the care and maintenance of swimming pools, vacuuming of the pool bot tom to remove settled debris becomes a frequent and onerous task. While it is attempted to decrease the required frequency of vacuuming by skimming of floating debris and scooping of submerged but unsettled debris, these procedures do not substantially reduce the need for frequent vacuuming, as the settled debris remains on the bottom.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a unique improvement is swimming pool appliances, whereby a manual implement may be employed to effectively remove settled debris or sediment from the pool bottom without vacuuming, so as to effectively eliminate or substantially reduce the need for vacuuming.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a swimming pool appliance of the type described which may be effectively employed for the skimming of surface debris and scooping of submerged but unsettled debris, as well as removing of sediment on the pool bottom.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a swimming pool appliance having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, which is extremely simple in construction, durable and reliable through a long useful life, and which effectively reduces or eliminates the major task of vacuum-cleaning the pool bottom.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and re ferring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away to conserve drawing space, and illustrating the operative action of the instant appliance;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the device of FIGURE 1, taken from the right side thereof; and

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the device of FIGURES 1 and 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURE 1 thereof, the swimming pool appliance of the present invention is there generally designated 10, and includes an elongate manual grip or handle 11. The handle 11 may be of tubular stock, or other, as desired. Fixedly secured at one end of the handle 11 is a loop 12, say of arcuately bent rod or wire stock. The loop 12 may be generally flat, extending longitudinally outward from the lower end of handle 11, substantially coplanar therewith.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, the loop 12 may be of generally ovaloid configuration, or other suitable configuration, symmetrical with the handle 11, and may be formed of an elongate strip of arcuately bent rod stock having its end portions 13 bent in radially outstanding parallelism and inserted into the adjacent end of handle 11, being fixedly secured therein by any suitable means, such as a fastener 14.

Extending entirely across the opening defined within the close loop 12 is a reticulated sheet 15, as of netting, or other suitable straining means, having its peripheral portion suitably secured about the circumference of the loop 12. The net or straining means 15 may be of a flexible netting and of cup-shaped configuration, as seen in FIGURES 1 and 3.

Remote from the handle 11, the loop or annular frame 12 is provided with a baflle, generally designated 18. The baffle 18 is of an elongate, arcuate configuration, essentially similar to the arcuate configuration of the adjacent portion of loop 12, and the baflle is arranged generally conformably with respect to the adjacent loop portion, as seen in FIGURE 2. Further, the bafile may be formed of a flat plate, lying in a plane parallel to and spaced from the plane of loop 12. In particular, the baffle 18 is spaced forward of the loop 12, in the direction of loop movement through the water, as indicated by arrow 19 in FIGURE 1. Also, the arcuate baffie 18 is spaced inward from the adjacent portion of the loop 12, being upward from the lower end of the loop in its operative condition of FIGURE 1.

The generally flat arcuate plate or baffle 18 is of approximately semicircular configuration, and carried by the loop 12, fixed relative thereto, as by a pair of rods or struts 20. That is, the rods or struts 20 are each disposed generally horizontally, adjacent to respective ends of the arcuate bafile 18, extending from the baffle to the adjacent portion of the loop 12, and fixedly secured at its opposite ends to the bafiie and loop. The bafiie is thus rigidly fixed to the loop 12, being spaced forwardly and inwardly of the loop, in a plane generally parallel to that of the loop, with the struts 20 disposed generally horizontally to offer a minimum of resistance to movement of the device through a liquid, as illustrated in FIGURE 1.

The operative condition of FIGURE 1 illustrates the movement of the loop 11 and its straining sheet 15 together with the baffle 18, the latter leading the loop. As the loop 12 moves along a pool bottom 21, the bafile 18 is spaced slightly over the bottom and creates a stirring action or disturbance sufiicient to raise the settled debris or sediment for its reception in the straining means 15 upon continued forward movement thereof. This operation is illustrated in FIGURE 1.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present inven tion provides a swimming pool appliance which fully accomplishes its intended object and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A swimming pool appliance comprising an elongate handle, a loop extending from and fixed to one end of said handle, straining means extending across said loop, and a baflle carried by said loop remote from said handle and spaced apart from the plane of said loop and forward thereof so that unitary loop-and-baffie movement through a liquid with said bafile forward effects stirring of the liquid to raise debris into the straining means.

2. A swimming pool appliance according to claim 1, said bafiie being spaced inwardly from the periphery of said loop for movement above the bottom of a pool when said loop is moved along the pool bottom.

3. A swimming pool appliance according to claim 2, said baflle being of an elongate configuration similar to the adjacent portion of said loop.

4. A swimming pool appliance according to claim 3, said baflle comprising a generally fiat plate in facing relation with said straining means, and a pair of struts each extending from a respective end of said plate to the adjacent portion of said loop.

5. A swimming pool appliance according to claim 4, said loop being generally coplanar with said handle, and

with respect to the plane of said loop and handle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Nyce 2l0-464 X Wold 2l0471 X Berman 2l0--47l Oxley l51.7 Cherney 210-169 X Campbell 210-470 X Ruhling 151.7

SAMIH N. ZAHARNA, Primary Examiner.

said baffle being in generally parallel spaced relationship 15 C. DITLOW, Assistant Examiner 

1. A SWIMMING POOL APPLIANCE COMPRISING AN ELONGATE HANDLE, A LOOP EXTENDING FROM AND FIXED TO ONE END OF SAID HANDLE, STRAINING MEANS EXTENDING ACROSS SAID LOOP, AND A BAFFLE CARRIED BY SAID LOOP REMOTE FROM SAID HANDLE AND SPACED APART FROM THE PLANE OF SAID LOOP AND FORWARD THEREOF SO THAT UNITARY LOOP-AND-BAFFLE MOVEMENT THROUGH A LIQUID WITH SAID BAFFLE FORWARD EFFECTS STIRRING OF THE LIQUID TO RAISE DEBRIS INTO THE STRAINING MEANS. 